Education

in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 18, 2026

HR 91: URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUPPORT EXPANDED COMMUNITY ACCESS TO OUTDOOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES AND GROUNDS DURING NON-SCHOOL HOURS.

This House Resolution encourages Hawaii's Department of Education to allow the public to use outdoor school facilities like playgrounds and sports fields during non-school hours, particularly on weekends. The bill aims to provide more safe recreational spaces for residents in areas where parks are scarce and to promote physical activity and community health. It does not mandate changes but urges the department to explore feasible opportunities for shared use while balancing school operations and community needs. The resolution directs the Department of Education to engage with stakeholders and consider policies that support this expanded access.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands community access to school facilities, enhancing educational infrastructure and supporting community health through safe recreational spaces.85% confidence

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in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 18, 2026

HCR 27: ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO OFFER A BASIC SWIMMING COURSE IN EITHER PRIMARY OR SECONDARY EDUCATION LEVELS.

This bill encourages the Hawaii Department of Education to offer a basic swimming course at either the primary or secondary education level. It aims to address the state's high drowning rates and the financial barriers that prevent many families from providing water safety training. The resolution does not mandate the program but instead urges the state education agency to consider implementing swim education. Copies of the resolution are sent to the Superintendent of Education and the Chairperson of the Board of Education for their awareness.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill encourages adding swimming courses to K-12 education, expanding student safety programs and educational access85% confidence

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passed · Hawaii · House Apr 2, 2026

HR 54: URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF MILILANI ʻIKE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS USING SCHOOL CROSSWALKS.

This House Resolution urges the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Department of Education, and City and County of Honolulu to improve safety at the Mililani 'Ike Elementary School crosswalk where students face traffic risks. The bill requests specific safety measures including speed bumps, warning signage, and a solar-powered rapid flashing crosswalk sign to alert drivers. It also asks for a "STOP Here for Pedestrians" sign to be installed up to fifty feet before the crosswalk. The resolution is directed at state and local officials to implement these visibility and speed reduction measures at the intersection of Mehe'ula Parkway and Kuao'a Street.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill improves school infrastructure and student safety at elementary school crosswalk, directly supporting education by protecting students.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill enhances pedestrian safety through improved crosswalk infrastructure, speed bumps, and warning signage at school zone.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety School Transportation Pedestrian Safety

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in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 18, 2026

HR 135: URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RECOGNIZE ROBOTICS AS AN INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT AND DEDICATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT ROBOTICS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE.

This bill is a House Resolution that urges the Hawaii Department of Education to officially recognize robotics as an interscholastic sport and to allocate state funding to support robotics programs across the state. The resolution highlights that robotics programs currently face challenges due to insufficient resources, a lack of mentors, and inconsistent funding, which has led to the decline of several teams. It calls on the Department of Education to conduct an assessment to determine the appropriate level of fiscal support needed to maintain these programs and directs copies of the resolution to key education officials. The measure does not create new funding but requests the department to evaluate and potentially dedicate existing resources to sustain robotics education initiatives.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly requests state funding allocation for robotics programs, directly supporting budget allocation for educational initiatives.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill urges DOE to recognize robotics as a sport and allocate funding to support robotics programs, directly expanding educational access and enhancing student programs.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly advocates for funding and recognition of robotics programs, directly supporting technology education and development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

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passed both · Hawaii · House May 8, 2026

HCR 122: REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO CONSIDER OFFERING OLELO HAWAII MICRO-CREDENTIALS FOCUSING ON OLELO NIIHAU.

This bill requests the University of Hawaii to create a specific language pathway for the Niihau dialect of Hawaiian, recognizing it as distinct from other Hawaiian language programs. The resolution acknowledges that Niihau speakers maintain a unique dialect due to the island's isolation and continued use of Hawaiian as their primary language of thought. It aims to protect this linguistic heritage by formally requesting the university to accommodate Niihau-specific language education rather than integrating it into general Hawaiian language curricula. The measure directs a copy of the resolution to the University of Hawaii System president to facilitate implementation of this educational pathway.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill requests University of Hawaii to create language pathway for Niihau dialect, protecting linguistic heritage and expanding educational access for Hawaiian language education90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 18, 2026

HCR 77: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN RESILIENCE TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THE FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA PROGRAM.

This bill requests that the Hawaii Department of Education and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience support the state's secondary agricultural education program and the Future Farmers of America youth organization. The resolution aims to strengthen agricultural workforce development by encouraging professional development for teachers and expanding educational opportunities in agriculture for high school students. It specifically suggests employing an extension agent at the university to provide outreach and connect best practices to local schools. The bill does not allocate funding but serves as a formal request for collaboration between state agencies and the university to address Hawaii's food security goals.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly requests support for secondary agricultural education and FFA program, aiming to strengthen workforce development and expand educational opportunities for high school students.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill supports agricultural workforce development through education and teacher professional development, which strengthens future employment opportunities in agriculture.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Workforce Development Tags Agriculture

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SCR 201: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REISSUE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE JOB ORDER CONTRACTING PROGRAM CONTRACTORS AND PREQUALIFIED SMALL CONTRACTORS TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF THE FUTURE SCHOOLS NOW PROGRAM.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to reissue Requests for Proposals for contractors and prequalified small contractors to continue the Future Schools Now program, which uses job order contracting to repair school facilities more quickly and efficiently than traditional methods. The bill directly affects the state's public school system by ensuring uninterrupted access to construction services for addressing a backlog of over $1 billion in deferred maintenance needs across aging school facilities. Key provisions ask the department to initiate new procurement contracts in 2026 before existing agreements expire, maintain the use of job order contracting for accelerated repairs, and submit a report to the Legislature by early 2027 detailing the program's performance metrics.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill requests funding and resources to repair school facilities, directly improving school infrastructure and ensuring continuity of educational services.95% confidence

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signed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 130: URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A FARMER-TO-INSTITUTION COORDINATION PLAN THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE AINA KITCHEN NETWORK ROLLOUT.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the Hawaii Departments of Education and Agriculture and Biosecurity to jointly create a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan that aligns with the AINA Kitchen Network rollout. The bill addresses the gap between the state's 2030 goal of sourcing 30% of school meal ingredients locally and the current 5.43% achievement rate, which an audit found resulted in nearly $2 million in unspent federal funds. The proposed plan would identify specific crops needed by the new regional kitchens, assess local production capacity, and outline strategies for helping farmers scale operations through long-term contracts and technical assistance. It requires collaboration with the Interagency Food Systems Working Group and other stakeholders to ensure the coordination plan includes measurable milestones tied to each phase of the AINA Kitchen Network's construction and service timeline.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill aims to increase local food sourcing in schools, improving nutrition programs and addressing unspent federal funds, directly supporting educational access and student well-being.85% confidence

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 82: URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO STRENGTHEN MENSTRUAL HEALTH EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND TO ADOPT A COMPREHENSIVE MENSTRUAL CYCLE CURRICULUM.

This Senate Resolution urges Hawaii's Department of Education to strengthen menstrual health education in public schools by adopting a comprehensive curriculum. The bill directly affects students, educators, and school administrators by requesting the creation of age-appropriate lessons that cover menstrual biology, hygiene, and cultural perspectives. Key provisions include integrating the four pillars of menstrual dignity - privacy, inclusivity, access, and education - into existing health standards, with specific requirements for elementary schools such as using anatomically correct diagrams and providing age-appropriate books. The resolution also calls for culturally responsive content that includes both Native Hawaiian and Western views on menstruation while ensuring materials are respectful of all students regardless of race, gender, or background.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly urges strengthening menstrual health education and adopting comprehensive curriculum, directly enhancing educational access and student programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens menstrual health education by adopting comprehensive curriculum covering biology, hygiene, and cultural perspectives, improving student health access and awareness.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SCR 82: ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO OFFER A BASIC SWIMMING COURSE IN EITHER PRIMARY OR SECONDARY EDUCATION LEVELS.

This bill encourages the Hawaii Department of Education to offer a basic swimming course at either the primary or secondary education level. It directly affects students, parents, and the state education system by recommending the addition of water safety training to the curriculum. The resolution is based on concerns about Hawaii's high drowning rates and aims to provide equitable access to swimming skills for all children. It does not mandate the program but rather serves as an official recommendation to state education officials.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill encourages adding swimming courses to education, expanding student access to safety skills and enhancing educational programs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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